A recent study found that female patients diagnosed with endometriosis may have more frequent hospital admissions and shorter stays compared with those without the condition.

In the study, published in eClinicalMedicine, investigators examined hospital admission rates and lengths of stay among patients with endometriosis compared with those without the condition as well as prior to and following diagnosis. Utilizing data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, the research encompassed 13,501 women born between 1973 and 1978, with records extending up to 2022.

The findings indicated that patients diagnosed with endometriosis had more frequent hospital admissions compared with those without the condition, with an adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 2.11 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.83–2.43) for admissions per year. Despite the higher admission rates, these patients experienced shorter hospital stays, with an IRR of 0.90 (95% CI = 0.81–0.99) for days per year, and were more likely to be discharged on the same day (odds ratio = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.20–1.33).

Postdiagnosis, there was a notable increase in both the frequency and duration of hospitalizations. Patients experienced more hospital admissions (IRR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.22–1.88) and longer hospital stays (IRR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.53–2.14) compared with their prediagnosis periods. These patterns were consistent among patients with both surgically confirmed and clinically suspected endometriosis.

The investigators emphasized the significant burden endometriosis places on health care utilization, noting that the persistent frequency of hospitalizations and extended stays following diagnosis suggested challenges in managing recurrent aspects of the condition. They advocated for further research to develop targeted interventions aimed at reducing this burden on both patients and health care systems.

"The sustained high number of hospitalizations and longer stays postdiagnosis indicate the ongoing burden on the women and health systems," said lead study author Dereje G. Gete, of the Australian Women and Girls' Health Research Centre at the School of Public Health at the Faculty of Medicine at The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, and colleagues. "Further research should investigate the underlying causes of these hospital admissions and prolonged stays to develop targeted interventions," they concluded.

No conflicts of interest were disclosed in the study.